Rytų fronto pragaras. Vokiečių pancerjėgerio dienoraštis 1941-1943

by Hans Roth, Antanas Inklėrius (Translator)

Knygoje pateikiami vokiečių kareivio, dalyvavusio „Barbarosos“ operacijoje ir vėlesniuose Rytų fronto mūšiuose, dienoraščiai. Autorius, 299-osios pėstininkų divizijos prieštankinio bataliono (Panzerjägerabteilung) žvalgybos būrio grandinis, vėliau feldfebelis, 1941 m. kovėsi prie Kijevo, 1941-1942 m. žiemą - Obojano apylinkėse, 1942 m. - Voroneže, prie Oriolo ir Kursko. 1944 m. birželio 25 d. dingo be žinios per sovietų puolamąją operaciją „Bagrationas“, pralaužusią armijų grupės „Centras“ fronto liniją.

Dienoraščius ilgą laiką saugojo jo brolis. Šiam mirus, jie buvo atrasti ir perduoti autoriaus žmonai Rozel, kuri juos patikėjo savo vienintelei dukrai, per tą laiką emigravusiai į Jungtines Valstijas. Dienoraščius publikavimui anglų kalba parengė Hanso Rotho anūkai.

Apžvalgininkų nuomone, šie dienoraščiai vertingi dėl autentiškumo, mat autorius po karo neturėjo galimybės jų pakupiūruoti, pakoreguoti ar išplėtoti. Juose atsispindi eilinio vokiečių kareivio mąstysena ir jausmai, puikiai atsiskleidžia kovos veiksmų intensyvumas Rytų fronte.

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction, Military History, War, Military Fiction, Biography

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2010

Reviews

[A.L. Sowards · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is comprised of three journals written by Hans Roth, a German soldier fighting on the Eastern Front from summer 1941 to late spring 1943. He also fought in France in 1940 and was still in Russia when he disappeared in June 1944, but he didn’t have a journal in France and if he was writing one during the last year of his life, it was lost. The editors (two of his grandchildren) include some basic big-picture information at the beginning of each section.

The gritty account of day-to-day life reminded me a little of With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa, but not as polished. It’s a journal, not a memoir, so sometimes the author would mention a comrade dying, and that’s the first mention of said comrade, even if the man was a close friend. Sometimes the language is beautiful and descriptive. Other times it’s almost frantic with the stress of constant battle.

Roth is part of the initial wave of Operation Barbarossa. He heads to Kiev that first year. Then he’s pushed back during the winter. During summer 1942 he’s part of the German drive to Stalingrad. He’s lucky enough not to be trapped by the Soviet counterattack that envelopes and annihilates the German 6th Army, but his winter still involves a long retreat with constant Soviet harassment through frigid temperatures with insufficient equipment.

Here are a few things that stuck out to me:

The first journal begins just before the invasion into the Soviet Union. Roth is stationed near the border and he isn’t too happy with their position. He wonders if perhaps his unit has been sent there so they can be attacked and slaughtered, thus giving Germany an excuse to go to war. He mentions that such things have been done before with Poland. I’ve read about the “Polish attack” on a German radio station, planned and carried out by German special forces and the bodies of a few unfortunate German prisoners. I hadn’t realized that average front line troops were also aware that the attack was staged.

I’ve read a little of the desperate style of fighting at Stalingrad, but I always had the impression that the initial assault in 1941 was like a German steamroller moving east. Roth’s account shows that almost immediately the Germans faced house-to-house battles against the Soviets. Snipers were a concern for German troops long before they reached the Volga.

Roth talks a little about “nerve fever.” The Americans at the time called it combat fatigue and now we call it PTSD. I suspect Roth himself suffered from PTSD at times. His accounts of Soviet counterattacks in the freezing winter of 1941-2 and in the equally freezing winter of 1942-3 show evidence of understandably frayed nerves. He even admits to having no memory of some of the things his comrades say he did.

The book offers an interesting look into the mindset of its author. He’s proud of the German Army. He calls the Soviets “Asiatic hordes” and is disgusted by some of their actions, like booby-trapping and defacing German corpses. (They also left things like soap and cigarette packages around, wired to explode.) He considers them tough adversaries, but points out that most of them are forced into action by commissars with pistols. He witnesses things like retreating Russian soldiers being machine-gunned down by their own officers if they turned back. He considers the Russians desperate rather than brave.

During a discussion with a member of the SS Einsatzgruppen, Roth learns of the execution of huge numbers of Jews. He doesn’t believe it, so the SS man takes him to a place outside Kiev (probably Babi Yar) and shows him the Jewish civilians being machine-gunned and thrown into pits. Roth is shocked and saddened, but doesn’t dwell on it for long. He also describes how hard it was to be nearby when some Russian partisans, including young women, were executed. He feels sorry for the partisans—they were told by their own side that if they didn’t sneak behind the lines and then report back, their families would be killed.

Roth often writes of how much his misses his wife and young daughter. And he and his front-line friends often express contempt and frustration with those back in Germany who complain about having to work overtime to ensure enough munitions for the war effort. He’s loyal to Germany and dislikes the communists, but doesn’t come off as a rabid Nazi. Overall, Roth is a product of his time and his country, but he seems like a decent human being.

Roth’s journals are well worth reading for anyone wanting a grunt’s view of the battles between German and Soviet troops during the first half of WWII. They’re of special interest for anyone looking for information on the battle of Kiev, the disintegration of the Italian Army outside Stalingrad, or trench-like warfare on the Eastern Front.

[Brett C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gripping read. This was not a biographical account (Obedient Unto Death, Für Volk and Führer, Black Edelweiss) with personal background, motivation to join the Wehrmacht or SS, etc. This was strictly a journal of combat action and starting Operation Barbarossa.

Gefreiter (Private), and later Feldwebel (Corporal), Hans Roth's personal journal was kept and translated by his grandson, Mason Kunze. He was a Panzerjäger (anti-tank) battalion of the 299th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) of the German Sixth Army. The journal entries started on 12 June 1941, ten days before Operation Barbarossa on 22 June. His last entry was May 1943.

Hans Roth told of the horrors he saw with up-close and personal killing, Russian artillery barrage and bomber attacks, dead civilians and burning villages, enduring the elements, witnessing Einsatsgruppen teams shooting Jews into mass graves, and much more.

Hans Roth eventually disappeared into the cauldron known as the Destruction of Army Group Center in the Soviet Belarusian Front push to Berlin. He mailed off the first three journals home before losing contact with his family in summer 1944. The location of Hans Roth's grave is unknown.

This was a fast and horrific read about combat action in the Eastern Front. I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in first-person accounts of Operation Barbarossa. Thanks!

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read based on 3 diaries kept by a German soldier during the early days of Operation Barbarossa and further fighting in on the Eastern Front's southern section. He is brutally honest in his description of events and very morbid in his general outlook on life on the front. His account also give detail as to how the opening of Barbarossa was not a walk-over against the Russians, but was hard fighting that was often hand-to-hand. On the other hand of the journals there are his hopes and desires to see his wife and daughter and this is what drives him to survive. Very readable except for a few instances of spotty translation.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read a book on fighting on the Eastern Front, featuring war in Ukraine. The soldier, Hans Roth, kept journals of his combat tours in the USSR. He is in Barbarossa from the start. In his sector, the Russian fight very hard, no easy encirclements here. Here is his account of his battle on 14 July 1941:
14 July: We are ordered to attack this morning at 0800 hours. However, yesterday’s thunderstorm has flooded the roads and rendered them impassable. What now? The following radio message arrives around 0900: “Attack postponed. Reorganize into defensive formation!” So, the Russians are going to attack again. Yes. And how badly they attack! The large calibers buzz over into our positions. Whole series of shells are accompanied by smaller calibers and rounds with tremendous shrapnel capacity.

In sequence, bombers drop their eggs at low altitude. Fighters spew forth rounds of machine gun fire into our trenches. It is a hellish spectacle capable of robbing a man of his sanity. Half crazy, we crouch down in our trenches. All around us the ground is being thrown into the air—right before our very eyes. To our left and right, to our rear. flames dart everywhere. My hair is charred. A large chunk of soil flies against my helmet and knocks me out for a brief moment. And then they come, the roten teufel [Red devils]. “Hurrah! Hurrah!”

The first ones close in on us to within 50 meters. We clamber out of our trenches. The machine gun crews stay behind to give us cover. Are these the same people? Their faces are distorted beyond recognition. The hate and endless anger against these bloodhounds switches off any sort of thinking. We end the attack half an hour later. I do not remember the details of the butchery. It is unbelievable, but true. We ran forward like homicidal maniacs. We shot, slashed, and beat. We fell down, got up, and stormed forward again I am just not able to remember all of the details. And look at us! My shirt is torn, my hands and knees are bleeding, and there are traces of blood all over my uniform. On the collar of my left boot hangs a piece of pulverized brain. I have to vomit. Enough! Now comes the reaction. I feel dizzy and have cold chills—nerve fever.

A few days later, Roth reflects on the battles his unit has fought and his view of the Russian soldier vs. a soldier from the western armies.
18 July: The Reds must have had tremendous casualties, since our artillery fire was correctly targeted. Shreds of tree trunks are all over the ground. Our shelling has ripped apart the forest floor. Among the destruction lie hundreds of bodies, demolished gear, vehicles, and every type of gun. Bodies of the hated enemy lie in massive piles in front of their positions. The bodies are blackened and swollen by the heat. The terrible, pungent smell of decay looms over the entire forest. Many, many of our comrades can finally be buried.

Much of the details of the battles during these last days remind me of the grim forest battles in La Besace [France] a year ago, but the Russian is a different opponent than the Belgians and French. At that time, we fought against men who, as soldiers, applied intelligence, endurance, and experience; the enemy here resembles a dull, indifferent, soulless machine of destruction and death. At our leisure, we took the Russians in our vice grip. The French would have learned from experience and attempted to avoid unnecessary casualties. These guys here fight like mad until nothing moves. They never surrender!

I don't have any sympathy for Hans Roth. He is a Nazi and pretty callous to the impacts of the invasion. But he is also a fair reporter of what life is like for the front-line soldier. The universal soldier contempt for the REMF and the whining of the home front comes through:
Someone delivered the mail during the night. A letter received by one of our comrades is passed from trench to trench. In it, someone is complaining about working overtime, the shortage of beer and cigarettes, and other similar matters. How little does that idiot understand about the things that go on out here? Is that the voice of the homeland? They will hear our stories of success at home and Mr. “Indispensible” will say in triumph: “Well, we’ve done a great job, haven’t we?” Let it be said: you local natives, if anyone has accomplished anything it was us! Well, we are indebted to you for our great weapons and ammunition without duds, but the Russians too have good weapons—sometimes even better than ours! The key factor is the spirit and bravery of the person carrying those weapons. None of you guys have any idea of these two things. Shame on you if you think that you have fought these battles and have accomplished such great victories with your overtime! Think about our overtime out here. The reward for some of us was a burning piece of metal in our spine.

The idiot continues to write in his letter to the front that we had it better out here; here, not because he has remembered his manhood, but “because there is an abundance of cigarettes, beer, and schnapps at the front, and the shootings aren’t that bad at all!” Such impertinence leaves one speechless! Dear Sir, you are more than welcome to join us! You will shit in your pants because of all these cigarettes and cigars in the air. But enough of that—we have other issues and problems than talking about the whining of a “home-fighter.”

The stark results of artillery are recounted in vivid detail by Roth:
The terrible artillery fire starts up again in the afternoon. And then the most horrible thing happens; there is a sulfurous flame, a deafening explosion, and the beams of our cover are torn to bits. The force of the air presses us against the trench walls; clumps of dirt cover us. I am still half numb when I push through the shredded beams and climb out. Only then can I see the full picture. The neighboring bunker, approximately three meters from us, has taken a direct hit. I see a large crater, which extends all the way up to our dugout. Stinky, yellow smoke boils over the area.

God damn it. Are they all dead? Most importantly, is he dead—our dear lieutenant? Half mad, I leap into the crater. Pieces of uniform and limbs are sticking out of the dirt. I start digging hurriedly in the dirt using my bare hands. I grab a hold of Huebner’s head, which has been severed from the rest of his body. Finally, I find our “Little one” buried up to his neck. In a mad rush, Rueffer jumps into the hole; within seconds we are able to free him from underneath the mass of earth. If only he would stop his terrible screaming, our dear little lieutenant! We have never heard him shout so loud before. He only has a few minutes left to live. His lower body and legs are crushed to a pulp. While we try to lift him out of the hole, a shell slams into the ground right next to us in a loud roar. A shower of shards rains down over us. Rueffer collapses and the lieutenant’s body slides on top of me. He is no longer screaming. A fist-sized piece of shrapnel has smashed into his face. Even in death he has protected me—his best comrade—with his own body.

Everything inside of me is numb. A film covers my eyes. I do not care anymore. Even if they demolish the rest of our small group, at least it will be over. Peace, eternal peace. The memories of these hours of horror will no longer torture me.

Roth's unit constructs a cross to place at the lieutenant's grave, which is now in no-man's land. Roth volunteers to take it out. He has a moment. I learn a new phrase to add to my German repertoire:
11 August: After the cross is finished, I place it over my shoulder, insert a pistol under my belt, a hand grenade in the shaft of my boots, and off I go. I take the shortest distance directly across the minefield. Damn it, the most direct path is right at the barn on the field. I don’t need to mention that the other soldiers thought they were dealing with a maniac, and that the men in the observation posts thought I was crazy. And yet, my mind has become sharper over the past few days. My intuition tells me that the Russians have not yet grasped our latest directional maneuver. They are still laying their fire stubbornly onto our positions that have long since been abandoned. This time, there is no fire curtain between the village and me (rather I should say the pile of dirt where houses once stood).

Everything is going well. The closer I get to the village, the weaker the enemy fire, which eventually completely dies out. There is no one around as far as I can see. The silence is eating at my nerves. Is the Russian infantry going to begin its advance? Damn it—for the first time I am really afraid, really scared. The last thing that I need is for “Hans to push a wild boar into his pants” [wildsau in die hose scheibt, i.e. soiling his pants]. No, I am not going to do that.

With my hands trembling, I push the cross into the ground. I then pay him my respects, my one and only comrade, our lieutenant, at his final place of rest, and then start to cry like a child. What would you say to me now, my little lieutenant? “Sobbing is for women. Pull your shit together Hannes!”

These past few minutes of reflection have really refreshed me. No, little one, you will not see me act like a weeping boy, I am sorry. It has been a bit too much over these past few days. I then start to head back.

It is always interesting to read first-person accounts that relate weapons and tactics I haven’t heard about before. Here is an account of what sounds like cluster bombs employing phosphorus:

5 September: Today is again a big day for the Soviet air force, which comes somewhat as a change. Budenny’s swallows arrive in flocks from Kiev. Out of politeness, they initially hand us their business cards in the form of thousands of pamphlets. Eventually, dozens of large, long, tin drums drop from the sky.

My first thought is, “Firebombs!” But since they released their bombs right over our heads, there is no immediate threat for us. We Jook curiously above the hedges and down into the valley, where these damned things crash down. Strange, there are no detonations. The tin drums just burst open. Hundreds of small bearings fly through the air; they are shimmering like tin cans. About ten minutes later, the valley is in flames. Small yellowish violet flames are everywhere. An observer from B-position comes to us shortly after. His group witnessed the whole spectacle in close proximity. The 6 to 8-meter-long cylinders were filled with small cans. After the cylinders exploded, the cans inside swirled about and burst open. Flames were everywhere a few minutes later. Phosphorus bombs—another evil trick!

Despite this, we should be thankful to the Red devils. They have transformed the valley and its heaps of dead bodies into a crematorium. No stench of decay will turn our stomachs upside down tomorrow. What would have happened if Budenny’s swallows had aimed better?

Roth is one of the Frontschweine, proud member of the filthy, exhausted, tough, pointy end troops. Roth has many close shaves over his 3 years on the Eastern Front. Here is one as he and his crew are trying to recover wounded men from the front line (he seems use grenade as slang for arty shells as well as various grenades and other munitions):

…it is a shitty situation if you are transporting seriously wounded men. We take cover in a bomb crater, as a two hundred kilo shell approaches with a roar and slams right in between us. I think every single hair on my body stood straight up at that moment. The glowing hot projectile is sticking out of the mud no more than a meter from me. A dud! This is a rare occasion for the otherwise good Russian ammunition. I don’t need to mention that we had never before left a cover faster than that before. Boy oh boy [junge, junge], if that grenade had actually worked, a tin would have sufficed for an official funeral of our ten-man group.

The Soviets use every trick in the book and some new ones as they are pushed back further into Russia. Of course, Hans Roth and his fellow soldiers consider this unfair. Pretty clever nonetheless.

To the rear of Gatnoje, there are fields of cooperatives, vast vegetable farms. They lie there harmlessly in the sun. Who would believe that hiding among those plants is the most horrific death: a high voltage current! Atop the vegetation is a webbing of fine caliber wire the length of several kilometers. This rests on thin, isolated metal poles, which are all painted green; a deadly net of high voltage current, which is run by a power plant in a bunker. It is so well camouflaged that we recognize it unfortunately much too late, only after the continued accumulation of losses.

Then there are the devil’s ditches, lined up in great depth, several hundred meters long. They are mined, and when a single land mine is tripped, entire fields, which are connected underground by detonation channels, explode. At the same time, water pipes explode and rapidly flood the area two meters deep.

There are even a few more goodies that happen to be just lying on the ground, seemingly random objects that are interesting to every soldier: watches, packs of cigarettes, pieces of soap, etc. Each of these objects is connected to a hidden detonator. If the soldier picks any of these objects up, he starts the ignition and detonates a mine or an entire minefield.

In this category also belong well-hidden trip wires, which cause contact mines to explode. These monsters jump up 3/4 of a meter and explode, showering burning oil everywhere. There are other areas where hidden among trip wires are thousands of knife-sharp steel spikes, which are poisoned and cause the injured to die a horrible death ten minutes later. All of the defensive belts are littered with automatic flame-throwers, which are activated by pressure.

Mine dogs: we shot about a dozen of these German shepherds alone near Schuljany. The animals carry a device with explosives on their back. According to a prisoner who has trained these dogs, they are made to attack tanks and other vehicles with their load of 3 kilos of ammunition. By means of a wooden lever on the device, the load explodes after two safety latches are removed. According to other sources, these dogs are also trained to viciously attack people, and have caused serious damage to marching troops.

At various locations along the Potschtowaja front, the Reds are dropping air mines. This mine has wings and a propeller, and is attached to a red balloon half a meter in radius which detaches once it touches ground. Those dirty buggers [dreckdingen] rip holes into the earth that reach as far down as the water table.

This was a war of no quarter (I expect the current Russian invasion of Ukraine will feature the same ruthlessness as the Russians have a harder time than expected to take over Ukraine.)

A small scene should illustrate what kind of tough enemy we are dealing with: While advancing with my group we are cleaning a garden. In a foxhole we discover a wounded Russian officer. I yell out to him, “Rukij war!” (Raise your hands) His answer given with a smile goes “Niet!” (No)

A hand grenade thrown in his hole rips him to pieces.

At a hedge close to the end of the garden there is a badly injured Red. Shell splinters have ripped the fingers off his hands; the legs seem to be smashed as well. We are five steps away; brightly he lies in the light of a burning house. When he sees us approaching, he makes a lightning fast move and rips off a hand grenade with his teeth and lies his head on it. “Lie down!” and already the hand grenade explodes with a hollow thud. Vogel, who is slow on the pick-up, did not make it to the ground, a dozen splinters ram through his body. (He dies within the following hour.) During the course of the night the most beautiful news of these hard days arrives from the division: A battalion, I.R. 217, Stands with its spearhead 8km south of Obojan. A patrol immediately makes contact. This time the “corpses” are spared from this mission.

The Russians put up a desperate fight and seem to have limitless reinforcements. The Russians attack:

At different locations the enemy succeeds in breaking through; in bloody close combat he is beaten, breaks through again at different places, infiltrates the field hospital and causes a horrific bloodbath among the wounded. With limitless fury we force him back again, not being in control of our senses, we are shooting, stabbing and beating around us like in the throes of madness. On a ward in a side wing of the hospital there has been a horrible struggle. The Reds do not have any more hand grenades; with long sticks the Caucasians beat at us, with our rifles we force them towards the windows and throw them hand over feet out the windows into the yard. I look terrible, the hands are bleeding, the uniform is ripped, soiled with brain matter and dirt. A tank shell rips howling through the outer wall, a hand-sized fragment rips the head off the body of my companion, nothing happens to me. Damned, am I immune?

More grim accounts of the fighting and retreats and attacks. Maps and even better, his hand-drawn sketches of various small unit actions and larger fights. Excellent! 4 Stars

[Dachokie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Refreshingly Unique Perspective of Germany's War with the Soviet Union ..., March 28, 2011

Sometimes history is presented in such a general manner that end results often overshadow the reality of events that lead to those results; this often leads to misperceptions, dare I say "myths", regarding what really happened. World War II is rife with such generalizations, especially the conflict between Germany and the Soviet Union, where four bitter years of brutality are often summarized in only a few sentences. But, occasionally, a lone voice emerges that can provide an honest and refreshing view of events and even contradict popular belief by providing a first-hand, moment-by-moment account of events as they happened ... EASTERN INFERNO is such an example.

As the men and women who survived World War II rapidly vanish from the world's population, new information, stories and details of the war continues to flow at an exponential rate. Christine Alexander and Mason Kunze have published three (of possibly four) volumes of their grandfather Hans Roth's wartime journal. Roth, a German soldier (specifically an anti-tank soldier) who participated in the war on the Eastern Front from the initial German invasion of the Soviet Union through the retreat from Stalingrad, provides a unique perspective of those early days of the conflict. Unflinching and brutal at times, the journal sheds new light on the initial months of the "war in the East" by contradicting the ease of the German advance into the Soviet Union. Roth also conveys the deplorable conditions in which the war was fought, the atrocities committed by both sides of the conflict, the unfathomable destruction of life and material, the filth and the miserable weather. What the journals reveal are the inner thoughts of an ordinary German, not an ardent Nazi, who dutifully serves his country, but longs to be home with his wife and daughter.

EASTERN INFERNO is divided into three chapters and each chapter represents one volume of Hans Roth's journal. The journal entries are recorded daily with some days being more eventful, descriptive and involved while others are only a sentence or two of personal thoughts about his family. Roth's knack for detail sets an early tone for the book, allowing the reader to witness the life of the typical German soldier in those "heady" early days when the German blitzkrieg seemed unstoppable. It only took a few pages before I realized Roth had taken me alongside him on that hot and humid day in June 1941 with his descriptive journal entries ... and this is exactly the experience I want when reading about first-hand accounts. I could easily imagine the dust clouds created by moving vehicles sticking to the sweaty faces and hands of exhausted infantrymen moving to the front lines under the oppressive sun ... uncomfortable and miserable. Something else the reader will notice early-on is that this soldier's account of participating in the invasion of the Soviet Union does not necessarily jive with the broad, generic summary of events that commonly defines Operation Barbarossa. While the huge swaths of land consumed by the German military and the enormous tally of prisoners taken in the initial weeks/months are well-documented, Roth's experience at the front indicates the Soviet military put up a much more spirited fight than history typically generalizes. With continuing accounts of his comrades being killed or wounded, Roth even reveals a degree of respect toward the Soviet enemy for his tenacity ... as well as his skill. But beneath this begrudging respect reveals the underlying element of Nazi racial indoctrination in that he is shocked that the Russian "swine" could manage to fight as effectively as they could. An early account of witnessing an execution at the hands of the SS is recounted with relative indifference.

The journey that Roth takes the reader on is a brutal one filled with fear, death and misery and he meticulously details his observations in a manner that heightens the readers senses into what he actually experienced. The exuberant and optimistic tone present in the first third of the book dissipates as the war drags on and the tides shifts against Germany. Harassed by partisans that melt in and out of the forests and daily strafing attacks by Soviet planes (Ratas), the journal entries reflect a souring of optimism. As a brutal winter sets in, Roth's writings reveal that he and his comrades are a shell of their former selves ... the prior year's youthful enthusiasm is gone ... instead, the men are filthy, infested with lice and suffering from dysentery. Roth effectively describes this sense of despair he shares with his fellow soldiers as they squat in dingy panje huts to escape the deadly cold where the men turn to searching for and destroying lice as a game. Adding to the strain is that the enemy never stops attacking ... regardless of their losses. Roth even witnesses the Soviets murdering their own soldiers after retreating from a failed attack. A recurring theme in many of the journal entries is the gore and mass devastation he sees on a daily basis: his journey into Russia is a path filled with body parts, blood and decaying flesh of man and horses ... many, many horses.

Interspersed throughout his journal entries, Roth personally addresses his wife and daughter in what appears to be little moments of solace amid a world of death and destruction. There is no heroic action accounted for, no chest-thumping and no resounding political rhetoric that comes forth in his writing ... just a simple journal of what is seen and felt.

EASTERN INFERNO provides an amazing perspective of the average German infantryman's personal experience in Russia from the very beginning of the conflict ... as it happened. Roth's journal entries are vividly clear, informative and captivating. Hopefully, the publishing of this engaging journal will not only satiate those with a craving for history, but generate an interest in younger generations to learn more of about the brutal conflict between the Soviet Union and Germany.

[Jimmie Kepler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read six books dealing with the Eastern Front in World War II. All were either memoirs written after the fact or traditionally researched works. "Eastern Inferno: The Journals of a German Panzerjager on the Eastern Front, 1941-43" by Hans Roth, edited by Alexander Christine and Mason Kunze is different.

The book is the results of three diaries of Hans Roth. He was accounted as missing in action in 1944. Amazingly a buddy on leave delivered the three volumes of diaries to Roth’s relatives. They cover the years 1941, 1942 and 1943. Sadly, Hans Roth vanishes as another MIA unaccounted for casualty of war.

The diaries are incredible. They show that he viewed part of the actions as being pre-emptive (p. 27). There was a clear fear of the Russians being on German soil and killing his loved ones. We learn that the diaries include content that would have never cleared the censors plus he was glad to keep the horrors away from his dear wife.

The book is spectacular. Hans Roth provided a wonderful service for his family and future generations by recording what he witnessed and what he was ordered to do.

You can feel the fear he felt. You can sense the mixed emotions he experienced. The day to day log of his units actions with his understanding of what was going on are amazing. The detail and description he provides of the surroundings paints a remarkable portrait of the times.

Hans Roth realized that luck was a key part of survival. He makes this clear time and time again. The amount of artillery and equipment the Russians had seems to have caught the Germans by surprise. The aircraft strafing runs and Russian counterattacks in 1941 caught me by surprise. Other works reported little or none on these until 1942 and later.

Note: As I read I could feel the growing fatigue and cynicism Hans Roth had a result of the war. His love of his wife and family shows regularly in his comments. The book is an important resource for anyone interested in the Eastern Front as well as those who want a realistic look at the terrors of war. It is gripping and paints one of the clearest pictures ever of how war is horrendous.

Christine Alexander and Mason Kuntze deserve a big thank you for the editing and translation of this project.

[Michael Flanagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a first hand account by Hans Roth a soldier in the German army sent to the Russian front. It is his Journals he kept during his time on the front, 3 in total. The fact that these were written first hand as he moved and fought in Russia lends to this book the raw power and emotions of life on the front as I have never seen on paper before. Even though we do not get to learn much about the men he fights with this book still leaves a burning harrowing personal impression in ones imagination of the horror of war in the Eastern Front.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life has its ups and downs, then the Russians retreat and life is good. Then it gets cold and life's a bitch. You know the story. I was rooting for the Reds, but this very personal experience of a stormtrooper on the Eastern Front is fascinating. The story this man tells is different than the one you'll get from a general or a military historian. By the way this guy and his comrades did some really bad things.

[Clarke Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is actually the journals of German soldier in an anti tank unit on the eastern front from 1941 to 1943 and covers his participation in the invasion, the winter in 1941-42 and then the southern campaign from 1943. The author was probably working on a fourth journal when he went missing during the destruction of Army Group Center in 1944.

The book was a worthwhile read in a number of ways:

The fighting is portrayed from the start as brutal and ruthless, and this soldier's unit is on the defensive more often than engaging in attacks and there are relatively few periods when there is not combat activity. There are regular references to how different it is than earlier campaigns in France. The casualties often seem quite heavy (the author seems to have led a relatively charmed life compared to many of his comrades) and atrocities are a matter of routine. What is also illuminating is that his accounts mention regular attacks by Soviet air power from the start of the war to the end of the journals, whereas many histories suggest that Russian airforce only became an issue later in the war.

Where the book is really unique is that the journals were written at the time of the events, and unlike many other memoirs of German soldiers, were not heavily edited for post war sensibilities. The author was a conscript and dedicated family man and not a Nazi per se, but his attitudes and responses to what he witnesses and participates in are very illuminating. For example, he characterizes the invasion of Russia as wholly preemptive and defensive in nature. The Russian soldiers are routinely referred to as subhuman beasts, and the peasantry are characterized as primitive and intellectually deficient. The author on several occasions mentions killing prisoners and as the journals progress he mentions that prisoners are seldom even taken anymore, though he regularly expresses rage at Russian atrocities. He participates in reprisal executions of civilians to retaliate for partisan activity and views this as reasonable and necessary. He comments on Hitler favourably. Also, on several occasions he approvingly mentions witnessing the capture and murder of Jews, and even witnesses some of the activities of the Einsatzgruppen carrying out the Babi Yar massacre. While shocked at the scale of the Babi Yar massacre, the author's response is along the lines of sadness that this is a necessary action. None of these acts appear to elicit any moral conflict on the part of the author. Frankly, his attitude is basically if you are not doing this, then you are not a "real German". Sadly, one cannot help but get the impression that this particular soldier's attitudes were in no way unique in the Ostheer.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very unusual and interesting book.
Most books about WW2 have been written by either professional writers or generals.

Neither see any or much of what life on the front line is like.
Professional writers mostly borrow from other sources, and I expect in the future many will borrow from this book.
I don't know of any diary that is comparable to this one.

Many accounts hinted at the savagery that went on on the Russian front, most had few details.

This book has lots of details, I doubt many people in the 20th century suffered as much as the soldiers here.

One of the surprises is the number of times they were attacked by Russian aircraft in 1941-43.

I'd been led to believe from other sources that the Russian planes had mostly been destroyed and the Germans ruled the air.

And this is the only book that details how they survived the brutal winters by living in houses with Russian peasants.

And countless descriptions of how the Russians used booby traps and other weapons.

[Al Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among all the memoirs that I have read, this is certainly unique. In my mind, this is an incredibly important offering and my greatest gratitude to his family for going to such pains to share it with the world. Comprised of 3 journals written by Hans Roth during his service on the Eastern front, this is an honest, open and often brutal insight into his daily experiences. Nothing has been omitted, except in those few letters to his wife that have been graciously included.
It is well written and very easy to read. It is noticably devoid of sensationalism or selectiveness about what he is reporting, and he was certainly never afforded the luxury of hindsight. The book is unrelenting and illustrates wonderfully the impact that these experiences must of have a person's nerves.
As a non-German, I'm also interested in trying to understand the concept of Heimat and this Hans Roth's words have certainly also helped better that understanding.
Highly recommended!!!

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good look at life on the Eastern Front in WWII for the German soldier. It's still incomprehensible that after witnessing hundreds of innocent civilians (Jews) being murdered the author could only see the butchers on the other side of the front, but not on his own side.

[Clint · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting to read this point of view. One if my favorites on the eastern front

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skildring av kriget från en soldats perspektiv. Ofattbart lidande.

[Radu Pasan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The rest of my review here (it's quite long for goodreads).

The writing is as good as can be expected considering the circumstances (I was quite impressed), straightforward and concise, making the book reasonably easy to read. It does get repetitive at times with all the fighting going on day after day, but Roth seems to be complex enough to focus on other things as well, and there are even traces of humour.

It’s quite remarkable, or sad, or both, how the atmosphere deteriorates as the book goes on. In the beginning, it was all good for the Germans, but in the last part of the volume, things get really dire (and you can only imagine how much worse it got on the front after 1943, when the journals stopped). You have to feel for Roth and his comrades – they were normal people, just like most other soldiers in this miserable war. Roth was definitely not a bad human being, you can feel that quite clearly. At one point he mentions witnessing some murders (he very well might have witnessed the Babi Yar massacre) and he is nauseated and disgusted.

The feeling of authenticity always looms over this book. This is raw material written as it happened, and at no point do you feel that you are reading anything else other than the truth. Roth wrote this for him and had no reason to lie, exaggerate, omit or embellish. If I remember correctly, he even mentions how the situation he describes is totally different than the toned down version presented in the letters to his wife.

The book is filled with never seen before images – soldiers fighting, ruined cities, rare maps. It makes the book that much more special.

Roth’s journal was supposed to continue, but it stopped in the Summer of 1943, and it’s not hard to suspect why. He spoke about so many dead comrades, and it’s likely that this time it was his turn.

[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book presents the remarkable personal journals of a German soldier who participated in Operation Barbarossa and subsequent battles on the Eastern Front, revealing the combat experience of the German-Russian War as seldom seen before.Hans Roth was a member of the anti-tank (Panzerjager) battalion, 299th Infantry Division, attached to Sixth Army, as the invasion of Russia began. Writing as events transpired, he recorded the mystery and tension as the Germans deployed on the Soviet frontier in June 1941. Then a firestorm broke loose as the Wehrmacht tore across the front, forging into the primitive vastness of the East. During the Kiev encirclement, Roth's unit was under constant attack as the Soviets desperately tried to break through the German ring. At one point, after the enemy had finally been beaten, a friend serving with the SS led him to a site where he witnessed civilians being massacred en masse (which may well have been Babi Yar). After suffering through a horrible winter against apparently endless Russian reserves, his division went on the offensive again, this time on the northern wing of "Case Gelb," the German drive toward Stalingrad.In these journals, attacks and counterattacks are described in "you are there" detail, as Roth wrote privately, as if to keep himself sane, knowing that his honest accounts of the horrors in the East could never pass through Wehrmacht censors. When the Soviet counteroffensive of winter 1942 begins, his unit is stationed alongside the Italian 8th Army, and his observations of its collapse, as opposed to the reaction of the German troops sent to stiffen its front, are of special fascination.Roth s three journals were discovered many years after his disappearance, tucked away in the home of his brother, with whom he was known to have had a deep bond. After his brother s death, his family discovered them and quickly sent them to Rosel, Roth s wife. In time, Rosel handed down the journals to Erika, Roth s only daughter, who had meantime immigrated to America.Hans Roth was doubtlessly working on a fourth journal before he was reported missing in action in July 1944 during the battle known as the Destruction of Army Group Center. Although Roth s ultimate fate remains unknown, what he did leave behind, now finally revealed, is an incredible firsthand account of the horrific war the Germans waged in Russia.REVIEWS an enlightening window into what it was like to cope with all the elements that war can throw at you, clearly not a nice experience. Military Modeling, 1/2011 His observations of fighting are both blunt- Everything is Scheiss- and intelligent. ... describes the viciousness of the fighting Military Illustrated, 06/2011 particularly important for two reasons. Unlike letters from the front, they were never seen by the German Army censors and so Roth was free to record his real feeling as the fighting continued. Second, because of Roth s untimely death in 1944 the journals weren t edited post-war, leaving them in their original raw state. As a result, we get a rare soldier s eye version of the fighting on a day-by-day basis. History of War, 05/2011 remarkable personal journals revealing the combat experience of the German Russian War as seldom seen before. Witness to unspeakable carnage at the front, this is a harrowing yet poignant story. Military Times, 06/2011 ..without a doubt a unique account that offers many new insights and details which the author himself may have suppressed has he survived. It shows why the Eastern Front was totally different, the horrors kept from those at home Military Modelcraft International, 7/12/2011 a very interesting book which gives you the human side of a man reluctantly sucked into a war gives a glimpse into both the subtle influences of the Nazi State on its soldiers and attitudes Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy, 09/2011 With all the bias, rightness and wrongness of real life, and written in real time, this book accurately describes the impressions and experiences of everyday life and combat in the Russian steppes. It will not help you with your next scale model project or diorama. But it will give you a priceless insight into the people who lived and died by the equipment and groundwork that you will be modeling.Recommended to all history aficionados and modelers.Ipms Put simply this is one of the best accounts of war by an ordinary soldier... Model Armour.com The editors are in fact the grandchildren of the author of these diaries (Hans Rooth) who was in the 299th infantry Division s anti tank battalion. Unable and unwilling to describe the horrors of the Eastern Front in his letters home to his wife, he committed them to these diary journals. He went missing in action in t he summer of 1944 and has no known grave a harrowing yet poignant story of an ordinary soldier caught up in the worst that war can bring. There is not much in the way of technical or tactical detail and it makes for pretty grim reading at times, but it appears to portray well the day to day emotions and experiences of this dreadful conflictMiniature WargamesThe book is spectacular. Hans Roth provided a wonderful service for his family and future generations by recording what he witnessed and what he was ordered to do.You can feel the fear he felt. You can sense the mixed emotions he experienced. The day to day log of his units actions with his understanding of what was going on are amazing. The detail and description he provides of the surroundings paints a remarkable portrait of the times...an important resource for anyone interested in the Eastern Front as well as those who want a realistic look at the terrors of war. It is gripping and paints one of the clearest pictures ever of how war is horrendous.Kepler's Military History It is quite often the case that the only accounts of first and second world war that we get to read are written by our own side. It is more likely that, were we wanting to read about the horrors of the WWII Eastern Front, we would turn to an account written by an Englishman or an American. Publisher Casemate specialises in bringing out books that tell the stories of all parties involved, and this collection of journal entries belonging to a German "Panzerjager," a member of the elite Wehrmacht, whose job it was to hunt down and destroy tanks belonging to the allies, provides an altogether different perspective on the various campaigns. An important part of the history of WWII that should not be overlooked, and should appeal to all students of 20th century warfare.

[Gabriel Tubec · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five stars for the writing, ZERO for the translation. You cannot give a war journal to be trnslated by someone who is not familiar with informal or military-specific terms.
German Commandos (should be "commands"), "aircraft fire" instead of "anti-aircraft fire", "people who march with their battalion" insted of "people from the march-battalion", these are just the ones I remember
... Funniest as the abbreviation "JAKO" (from the village Iakobov) which was explained as JABO (fighter-bomber). fortunately the original map was included, so one could easily spot the error.

Also, take care: this journal is more a collection of short notes, written exclusively for his own personal use, to be read after the war, at home, by his wife, with him by her side to expand on the story. This is good, because it is written s it happened, and not several years after, when memory can be less than objective.

And it is also bad, because it feels very brief, every emotion and detail are absent, this was never meant to be published, so it is not written as a memoir.

[Chris Langer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Eastern Inferno" is series of three journals written by a German Panzerjager, Hans Roth, on the Eastern Front of World War II. The book begins with Herr Roth's preparation for the invasion of the Soviet Union, and carries the reader throughout several years of horror that he fought through and witnessed. From battle to battle, Roth describes the desolation and terror he experiences, but also voices the pride he feels for both his countrymen and the love for his wife and young daughter. It unfortunately ends abruptly, for Roth would ultimately perish in the conflict; going Missing in Action in mid-1944. I found myself wanting to read more stories of this peculiar soldier. This is an absolute must-read first person account for those interested in the era, or those simply interested in seeing the conflict from the other side.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an eye into the Eastern offensive in World War II. It provided a glimpse into the contradictory manner in which the Germans operated in. While labeling the Russians as a barbaric and uncultured people, the Germans refused to acknowledge that killing Jews or others randomly were crimes as well.

I often found myself shocked and horrified by the brutality of the war. I also found myself empathetic to the plight of the journalist who only longed for home and his family. He seemed a good man who was truly following what he felt was his duty. His courage and loyalty can not be denied to his country, comrades, and family.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a historical account, this is an excellent source straight from a soldier's journals that reflects the brutality of war. As a personal account, I cannot bring myself to feel much pity for his side, the soldier who thinks the Russians are brutal and subhuman while his own people are rounding up Jews for the slaughter. Regardless, it is a good read.

My only complaint with the e-version is that I noticed quite a few typographical and placement errors that were at times distracting to the reading.

[Lew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the reprinting of three notebook diaries of a German soldier who on the eastern front. This is a soldier personal view of the fighting. It is not know what happened to Has Roth. The official records have him missing in action and later declared dead. This book doesn't bring much knew to the history of the fighting on the eastern front. It is interesting to read a soldier's private record of his military service in Russia.

[Frank Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrifying account of life on the Eastern Front from a German soldier's perspective. Day after day, his entries talk of slaughter and utter destruction. The author disappeared at some point in the war and never finished his journals. Another forgotten face in one of the ugliest wars in history.

[Tuija · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hyvä näkökulma Operaatio Barbarossaan tavallisen sotilaan näkökulmasta. Joissakin kohdin mietin, että onko mahdollinen englanniksi kääntäjä kääntänyt väärin tai laittanut nykyaikaisen näkökulman tekstiin.

[Socrate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Invadarea Uniunii Sovietice de către armata germană în timpul celui de-al Doilea Război Mondial a devenit cel mai important şi mai sângeros conflict terestru din istorie. Numărul uriaş de oameni ‒ cel puţin şapte milioane au fost implicaţi în ofensiva iniţială ‒ şi miile de tancuri şi de avioane s-au risipit pe întinderile nesfârşite ale stepei. Aşa cum o imagine de televiziune este compusă din milioane de pixeli, incomensurabila sălbăticie a campaniei a fost produsul nenumăratelor acte de brutalitate comise de milioane de indivizi. Cu toate acestea, memoriile scrise despre acest conflict sunt rare: puţini participanţi au încercat să-şi consemneze pe larg experienţele, iar şi mai puţini dintre cei care au făcut-o au trăit suficient cât să-şi ducă la îndeplinire intenţiile.

Hans Roth şi-a făcut timp să ţină un jurnal al activităţii sale din cadrul Wehrmachtului pe când lupta în unele dintre cele mai cumplite bătălii care au caracterizat războiul purtat pe Frontul de Est. Observaţiile lui oferă o imagine tulburătoare a vieţii cotidiene a soldaţilor germani care participau la un război disperat.

Hans Roth îşi iubea soţia şi fiica. Pe aceasta din urmă a văzut-o foarte puţin după ce a fost chemat la arme în batalionul Panzerjäger (antitanc) al Diviziei 299 infanterie. Dragostea pentru familie este exprimată adesea în jurnalele sale, îi era dor s-o vadă şi o menţionează cu regularitate în ceea ce scrie. Deşi Hans scria acasă cât putea de des (aminteşte aceste scrisori în cuprinsul jurnalelor), presupun că în epistolele trimise n-a vorbit despre majoritatea ororilor trăite, păstrându-le în schimb pentru jurnalele ţinute în secret.

Povestea lui Hans începe la sfârşitul primăverii lui 1941, atunci când Divizia 299 infanterie, repartizată Armatei a 6-a germane, se pregătea să invadeze Uniunea Sovietică. Pe măsură ce se derulează Operaţiunea Barbarossa, Divizia 299 este ademenită în sudul Mlaştinii Pripet, unde se dau lupte disperate. Roth vede cu ochii lui pierderile de vieţi omeneşti din rândul ambelor armate, germană şi sovietică. Spre sfârşitul verii, participă la operaţiunea de încercuire a Kievului, fiind unul dintre primii soldaţi care intră în capitala Ucrainei. După o iarnă cumplit de geroasă, sprijină alături de oamenii diviziei poziţiile nordice ale Armatei a 6-a, pe măsură ce aceasta îşi croieşte drum spre Stalingrad şi se trezeşte blocată într-o luptă disperată. Atunci când Armata Roşie începe o contraofensivă masivă, prinzând în capcană Armata a 6-a spre râul Volga, Divizia 299 şi Hans Roth se află în afara cleştelui sovietic. Ȋn timp ce loviturile de ciocan ale sovieticilor continuă, Roth este martor la prăbuşirea armatelor a 8-a italiană, a 2-a maghiară şi a 3-a română pe flancul nordic, pe măsură ce soldaţii acestor formaţiuni au fost prinşi în această încercuire. Unitatea lui este transferată în cele din urmă în subordinea Armatei a 2-a, apoi în cea a Armatei a 2-a Panzer, care încercau să apere flancul sudic al Grupului de Armate Centru după distrugerea Armatei a 6-a la Stalingrad. A participat apoi la teribilele bătălii de la Harkov, Voronej şi Oriol, descriind în amănunt înspăimântătoarele lupte de pe Frontul de Est.

De-a lungul relatărilor sale despre campaniile germane, Gefreiter (soldat fruntaş), apoi Feldwebel (caporal) Roth face mari eforturi să descrie împrejurimile, scriind mult despre popoarele ucrainean şi rus, inclusiv despre greutăţile şi contrastul dintre viaţa lor actuală şi cea de dinaintea războiului. La început, stilul lor de viaţă i s-a părut străin, dar, după ce a trăit printre ei aproape doi ani, s-a obişnuit cu aspectul lui pastoral. A fost martor la execuţia sumară a partizanilor capturaţi, exprimând o oarecare remuşcare faţă de moartea lor, dar înţelegând pe deplin că, prin natura războiului, aceiaşi oameni ar fi putut reprezenta cauza propriei morţi.

[Ian Willey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading the editorial etc it portrays the author as having been disgusted by all he saw and points towards him being an unwilling participant.

This is not how it reads, or at least is not so simple. Whilst he shows some feeling to the Ukrainian and the Russian peasant, he still looks down on them and sometimes even comes across as seeing them as little better than animals. His total disdain for the Russian troops is rather refreshing, he often calls them swine and views their standing to the last man as barbaric whilst seeing the same event of his own troops as heroic and patriotic. This is refreshing as so many journals are cleaned up for public reading removing the true feelings of the man writing such a journal.

I think this is a book that any one interested in the Eastern front should read and also any one who thinks war is some how glorious. This will certainly help dispel such a view!

[Viktor · Rating 4 out of 5]

En tysk frontsoldat skriver dagbok för att kunna berätta för sin fru om sina upplevelser under den tyska offensiven i Ryssland. Nästan helt otroligt att en tysk frontsoldat kan ha överlevt från invasionens första dag till långt in på 1944. Otroligt att han också är en god författare som skriver både målande och varierat under all denna tid av krig och brutal död. Dagboken ska ändå vara en "sann" skildring av livet vid östfronten från början fram till bara någon vecka före slaget om Kursk. Kanske slutade Hans Roth att skriva när det bara gick dåligt för Tyskland eller så finns kanske en fjärde och femte dagbok på någon vind eller källare som bara väntar på att rätt person ska hitta dom.
Mycket bra boka att läsa om du någonsin har funderat på det tyska perspektivet i denna del av detta fruktansvärda krig.

[Ulrika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hans Roths dagbok från livet som tysk soldat under andra världskriget. Högläste den för min tonåring (älskar att jag fortfarande får läsa för honom). En bok som ger upphov till många tankar och funderingar och bra samtal med tonåringen. Vad vedervärdigt ett krig är. Och vad hemskt att livet i skyttegravarna just nu pågår på samma ställen som Roth krigade. Ändlösa dagar av strider, döda soldater, lera, längtan efter familjer osv. Men också en vilja att strida för nazi-Tyskland som känns svår att förstå sig på. Bitvis läste jag Svetlana Aleksijevitjs Kriget har inget kvinnligt ansikte parallellt. Där finns väldigt mycket mer känslor och paradoxer - att vilja vara fin samtidigt som kriget pågår, att få mens som soldat utan att veta vad det är osv. Roths dagbok fokuserar mer på att beskriva olika vapen och exakt var fronten finns olika dagar.

[Kaarel Aadli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ühe vaimselt terve ja intelligentse inimese ülekirjutused. On näha, kuidas kaks kujuteldamatud sõjaastat, ja peaks rõhutama sõjaTALVE, sellise inimese maailmapilti muudavad. Kibestumus ja lootusetus, aga ka uskumatu armastus relvavendade vastu - need on vaid mõned tegurid inimese muutumisel lakooniliseks sõjamasinaks. Autor suudab end õudustest üllatavalt osavalt aga mõttelistes kaugustes hoida ning emotsionaalselt osavõtmatuks jääda. Ja mõne hetke pärast on lahtirebitud rinnakorviga saksa ohvitser, kellelt on kõrvalvedeleva sisikonna hulgast rebitud süda, argine vaatepilt.

Sõda on halvim, mis võib olla.

[Anthony L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense, unedited, all encompassing

The author is a dedicated, even fanatical soldier of the Wermacht. The authenticity of these journals seems confirmed by the contradictions of his own observations and events, as well as the author's swings between martial zeal and utter despair. The awful actions and descriptions of combat as well as atrocities, and never ending exhaustion, fear, and desperation are palpable, leaving me to wonder just how anyone could survive such experiences with even a shred of sanity remaining.

[Nataly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Прочла в русском переводе. Дневник фашиста, описывающего бои в России и Украине. Его возмущает "подлость" русских, непрерывно их атакующих. Он спокойно смотрит на убийство евреев в Киеве, называя их сбродом. Немцы, которые против Гитлера, для него кучка сброда тоже, которые недостойны называть себя немцами. Но когда в 1943 году им приходится отступать, он взывает к Богу за помощью. Если отбросить все его фашистские рассуждения, - писатель он отличный! Его бы энергию да в правильное русло!